A “gateway into Mildenhall” is set to be created as part of a new £2.5 million project.

A five acre site off the Fiveways Roundabout on the A11 at Barton Mills will be home to a petrol station and McDonald’s restaurant at the entrance to a “key route” into the town.

Around 40 jobs are set to be created at the £2.5 million project by Pigeon Investment Management, which is due to be completed next year.

Cllr James Waters, leader of Forest Heath District Council (FHDC), has welcomed the scheme, made possible in part by a grant from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

He said: “I am delighted that we have been able to work with Pigeon to secure the funding for this scheme which will provide a gateway off the A11 into Mildenhall.

“In the short term it will provide a boost to the construction industry, while in the longer term it tidies up the entrance of a key route into our town, and creates around 40 new jobs for people in the Mildenhall area.”

The project is the first to benefit from the LEP small loans fund, which is said to enable developments, which may otherwise have been stalled while they looked for financial backing, to be kickstarted so that work can begin.

Richard Stanton, the director from Pigeon, said: “This is an exciting development of a new motor service area to service the newly improved A11.

“It has been made possible by Local Enterprise Partnership funding and will create new jobs and generate significant economic benefits for the local community.

“This development forms the first phase of a larger commercial development plan, which we look forward to working closely with Forest Heath District Council as our vision for the site progresses.”